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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />(, <br /> <br />During the meeting, the Deputy Secretary ofthe Department of the Interior, David Hayes, <br />reported that the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Interim Surplus Criteria (FEIS) is <br />expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on December g, 2000; EP A's notice <br />of the availability ofthe FEIS would be published in the Federal Register on December 15th; and the <br />Record of Decision would be issued on about January 17,2001. He indicated that receipt of hard <br />copies of the FEIS could be expected by about December 15,2000. <br /> <br />Colorado River Environmental Activities <br /> <br />Lower Colorado River Mu/ti-Species Conservation Program (MSCP) <br /> <br />I can report that the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), on behalf of the MSCP <br />Steering Committee, has executed a contract with the new technical consulting joint-venture of <br />Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Jones & Stokes and Associates (1&S) <br />for completion of the 50-year conservation and compliance program. SAIC and J&S, working with <br />several key subcommittees, are on schedule to complete a detailed schedule and scope-of-work <br />necessary to complete the program by Spring 2002. <br /> <br />Additionally, Mr. Harris and I have finalized negotiations with the MSCP's prior technical <br />consulting firm, Ogden Environmental and Energy Services, Inc" for termination of professional <br />services and transfer of all data and information and equipment to the Steering Committee's new <br />technical consulting team (SAIC/J&S), An amendment to the original Ogden contract has been <br />executed between NFWF and Ogden to complete the transfer and termination of services. It is <br />expected that the data transfer and contract termination will be completed by the end of December <br />2000 or early January 200 I. <br /> <br />Finally, I can report that the Steering Committee and several key subcommittees have made <br />significant progress associated with several key program elements, including: identification of <br />critical path and priority issues, listing of projects and activities proposed for long-term compliance <br />coverage, compliance requirements pursuant to California Fish and Game Code and the California <br />Environmental Quality Act, identification of issues associated with direct and indirect effects, and <br />preparation of proposed pilot project legislation. The Board and other California MSCP participants <br />are involved in each of the subcommittees and have provided significant input to draft work <br />products. <br /> <br />Additiona/Information Items <br /> <br />I received a letter, in my capacity as Chairman of the MSCP Steering Committee, from <br />Mr. David Harlow, Field Supervisor, USFWS Arizona Ecological Services Office, regarding Ihe <br />MSCP proposed completion schedule. Mr, Harlow has asked that his staff become more involved <br />in the actual development of the various documents in order to prevent delays in processing <br />incidental take permit applications. Members ofthe MSCP Steering Committee and the Compliance <br />subcommittee are planning to meet with Mr, Harlow and his staff in early January 2001 to further <br />these discussions related to the MSCP schedule, <br /> <br />4 <br />